Can You Feel My Heart
by Searching the Horizon
Summary: Will Zoro's new found interest for the English vocabulary help re-kindle a lost love that was obviously never really lost? High School AU. ZoSan.
1. Osculating in the Dark

**Don't own One Piece or any characters. **

**Zoro x Sanji Rated M**

**First story. Not bataed. Enjoy? **

It was rainy, miserable, and a Monday. Like fuck.

"A person should be particular whom to osculate with"

The professor looked over the brim of her spectacles, eyeing each and every one of her students, prominent wrinkles deepening in judgment. Someone coughed and the room went dead silent.

Zoro looked over his shoulder to see Usopp holding both hands to his mouth, cheeks pink and puffed out, poor thing was trying not laugh and get scorned by the ever wrathful Sex Ed professor. As if this was junior high.

Across the room Nami was pinching the bridge of her nose in distaste, awfully pissed about the fact that she's stuck here learning about osculating, whatever the fuck that meant, after getting knocked up by Luffy. Safe sex was the last thing on her mind because today was a Monday and well because too late. Beside her Luffy was peacefully napping, drool messily pooling around his desk. The ravenette looked carefree. His baby face softened as a tranquil mood settled. Arms snaked protectively around his pregnant red-head.

Maybe it was too early. Or maybe because it was Monday. Actually, it was probably the rain and its spiritual effect. But Zoro actually wanted to know what that word meant. Osculate. Usually the green haired man couldn't give two flying fucks. It's first period and Sex Ed. No education needed in that department. But he felt left out. Not caught up to something, apparently funny or stupid, or horrendous. Depends who you are looking at.

For all Zoro knows and given the context it could mean anal. Because, yes you should be particular about whose ass you enter. Zoro, however, highly doubted that's what Professor Tsuru meant.

Subtly glancing to his desk partner he could see Sanji's dark blue eyes stubbornly fixed on the board. Fucking Honour student. Debating pulling out his phone, getting caught and having it taken away or resorting to actually speaking with the shitty cook, Zoro remorsefully nudged the blonde.

"Shit cook" he hissed as soon as the professor began busily sketching something slightly resembling a penis.

Sanji didn't even flinch. His mouth formed a scowl, eyes narrowing slightly covered by a mess of choppy blonde bangs. Zoro knew Sanji was _still_ mad. Furious probably. But it happened months ago. He thought he should try anyways.

A minute passed, then two.

"Shiiit cook" Zoro whisper-whined, surprised at how needy it came out.

Nothing. As if Zoro wasn't practically pleading for the blonde's attention. A mere nod in his general direction would do, but no, too stubborn.

At the beginning of the year Zoro secretly planned sitting next to blonde. All the subtle hair twirling, shoulder nudging, and the playful groping here and there. Even the occasional hand job was all thought out. Sex in the broom closet? Not planned. Eternal silent treatment? Not thought out. Being reduced from 'Morimo' to 'I will deny the fact that we had sex or that I know you' was not worth it. Actually, a day in the broom closet with Sanji is worth everything but Zoro would rather sit next to hormonal Nami than the ungrateful shit cook.

Any other day Zoro would be content with sleeping through class, Sanji or not. If the blonde wanted to pretend that their sexual tension wasn't suffocating everyone in the room then so be it. Zoro has been keeping it up for _months_. But by some unfortunate miracle the deafening and constant pounding of the pouring rain kept Zoro avidly awake. And now he was at place he'd never even fathom. He wanted to learn.

A roll of thunder echoed throughout the classroom the before the lightning could strike the lights in the room began flickering uncontrollably. As Professor Tsuru briskly walked towards the light switch hoping make the thing work, Zoro felt a firm hand suddenly grip his lower thigh.

Zoro could feel his chest contract painfully. Butterflies pooling in his stomach. The rapid beating of his heart reverberating in his throat. Just from one touch.

The light went back to normal with a steady buzz. And then it all went black. Not the kind of dark when if you allow your eye to adjust you could eventually make out shapes or see the outline of your hand in front of your face. It was black. The kind where it's more pleasant to close your eyes than stare into nothingness.

More thunder. A flash of light illuminated the room briefly and then once again left the students in stark blackness.

Sanji's grip on Zoro's leg didn't waver. If anything it gradually tightened probably leaving hand shaped imprints on his skins. Zoro found himself desperately hoping for a mark or bruise. Some sort of evidence that he made contact with the blonde. That Sanji had touched him. After all those strenuous weeks it was Sanji who broke this silly little tenacious game. Whether it be for cook's fear of the dark or the need they both felt for each other.

Hesitantly Zoro lightly put his own hand atop the blonde's. Scared to put any weight on for he knew how rash Sanji could be. And Zoro didn't want to break contact. He could feel familiar warmth spreading from Sanji's palm to his leg and resuming to course through his entire being. The cook's hand instantly molded into Zoro's as the greenette slowly interlaced pale slender fingers with his own brutish ones.

"It's dark"

Zoro heard it. Barely. But he heard it. Amidst panic, shrieking, and Professor Tsuru's fruitless attempts to regain control he heard it. That voice. That sweet baritone voice he was supressed from for God knows how long. So long that he had nothing but the short time in that fateful broom closet. When it was Zoro's _name_ being called out. The memory of that voice helplessly mewling under him, body writhen in pleasure and lust.

Unconsciously he tightened his grip, both hands clammy and shaking slightly. Being overwhelmed and at a loss for words also a tad scared for what his voice might sound like after such intense hand holding he blurted out, without thinking really, the dumbest thing.

"What does osculate mean?"

A barely audible sigh escaped from the body next to him and Zoro felt insecure all over again. If only Sanji knew the effect he had on him. Roronoa Zoro, the unapproachable fag that beat people up. He kid with green hair that practiced legitimate swordsmanship. Real swords. Green hair. No gag reflex. It was who he was. And Sanji could break it all. Leave Zoro with nothing but inexplicable desires. And when did it get this bad?

"Zoro,"

He couldn't see it. But the greenette felt it. Body heat ghosting over his skin. Sanji was close. Too close for it to make sense. The man had refused to acknowledge Zoro as if he was the only one hurting. As if it wasn't Zoro that had to see the face of the man he loved stained with tears after their first time together. Like it wasn't Zoro that had to hear "it was a mistake" repeatedly from the same mouth he was passionately kissing minutes before. As if the blonde had the _right_ to dismiss his existence. Knowing, hopefully, how much he meant to Zoro.

"You didn't answer my question" he said not knowing how to handle this emotion. This new found anger towards the man he was momentarily prepared to do anything for.

"It means to-" he stopped. People all around him were talking loudly yet Zoro couldn't hear anything. As if someone turned on TV static in his ears because all he could feel was soft warm lips hastily pressed up against his own. Sanji's lips.

"-eans to kiss, Zoro" was the last thing he heard before light went back on and the rest was a blur. Because now it was Zoro's turn to be furious.

**AN: OC Zoro? I really want to continue this and am hoping I can. Positive feedback? Greatly appreciated. Kind of thinking a cool word per short little chapter. **

**And sorry I kind of tend to pull punctuation out of my ass so. **

"_A person should be particular whom to osculate with" _**isn't mine. It's from Miscellaneous Matter **_**The Critique, **_**1909 **

**Also, I know it could feel rushed but I'm working on it I guess. And don't really want any of them to be more than 1000 words. Kind of like drabble like things. **


	2. Too Rapt in his Endeavors

**AN: I do not own One Piece or any characters. **

**Zoro X Sanji Rated M **

**Not bataed. Oh! And the word I picked actually contributed really little to this chapter. *Face palm* Why. **

"_I nonetheless read the final section in rapt attention, forgetful of my qualms and by the final line, I found that I was in tears."_

"Zoro," Nami began not knowing how to approach him anymore. He's been like this for what? Two weeks? This was getting ridiculous. "What are you doing?" she tried sounding casual, really. Except when someone who is incapable of third grade literature starts cradling the Oxford dictionary in his arms and actually _reading_ it. A dictionary. No joke, reading it. Casualty came hard.

"Reading the _NewYorker_, what are you doing?" Zoro once again _casually_ flipping the page smiling all the while. Too engrossed in the fucking the NewYorker. They didn't even live in New York. How on Earth…

"Okay" she snatched the paper from the boy's sturdy hands. "No more" Nami warned, ignoring the dark unimpressed eyes sparing her the dirtiest of looks. "Chopper says he can't diagnose, whatever it is you have, until you start talking to us"

"Chopper isn't even a real doctor" Zoro growls reaching for the paper, with no real effort. She knew he didn't want to strain her. Sixteen and pregnant perks.

"Chopper is a fourteen-year-old MED Student. And what can you say for yourself?"

"I'm an avid NewYorker subscriptionist. Now if you just-" he reached once more now successfully knocking the thing from Nami's petite hand.

"Don't pretend like you know what the word rapt means, Zoro!"

The greenette hissed at her as if she just lathered salt on an open wound. "You know," he started, eyes dark and serious. Determined about this crazy quest he so suddenly picked out for himself. "I'm working on it."

At this point Nami didn't know what to do. Chopper told her to handle the situation maturely. Because given the fact that they were dealing with Zoro and Sanji, both none too willing to _be_ mature, it was up to rest of them to be the better person. For the sake of their friendship or fuckship whatever it is they had, really.

The first three days were fine. Sanji and Zoro had been distant and broody for the better half of the year and eventually the rest of the gang got used to it. It was between the two of them anyways. They all figured that as long as they could provide support and comfort for the squabbling two, the rest would work itself out. Sure it was hard having to schedule time for each dumbass separately. Sure they tried to spending time all together. But with the heartening bickering of the two rivals being replaced by Zoro's longing looks and Sanji's attempt to not notice them, things got depressing. And fast.

And so they stupidly believed that it would be like before. Oh how stupid they truly were. Nami didn't know which situation was worse. Sanji's complete withdrawal from the real world and all its problems or Zoro's vain attempt at a new hobby.

And so the rest of the group started forming a team, strategies, anything of the sort. It was becoming a full-fledged operation. Bring the boys back. At least so they can tolerate being in the same room. Failing miserably but the effort was there nonetheless. They were all tired of Zoro's rampant and distressed rambling about words and their definitions paired with endless synonyms. And they all hurt for Sanji when he silently slipped out of the room, thinking they didn't notice that he was constantly crying. Or trying not to.

Now it had been fourteen days of this. Which was not by any means _fine._

"-you say that Luffy isn't rapt in the conversation you have about the future of…" Zoro interrupted Nami's thoughts, placing a big hand on her subtle baby bump. She groaned and swatted him away even though the touch was oddly comforting. When was the last time Luffy did that? And what the fuck does rapt mean? Because Luffy hasn't been anything about any conversation regarding the future of anyone.

In the distance they could see Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, gloomily walking closer towards their table. They looked crushed and defeated and most probably failed once again to reach Sanji.

"Nami maybe you should focus on facing your own problems before butting in with mine" the green haired teen said very-matter-of-factly as the rest of crew plopped down on the benches, filling the picnic table.

"What problems? Do I need to beat them up?"

"-did Zoro just-"

"-problem is you, get a fucking clue"

"-Nami calm down he didn't mean it"

"-why are you so mad?!"

"-listen! Zoro! Plea-"

"-this is just as much as your fault as it is mine except I'm the only taking responsib-"

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"

All heads turn to see little Chopped softly panting, wide chocolate eyes bulging, long messy hair wild and everywhere.

"Zoro what was the last thing you said?"

"Uh, I told Nami she should start facing her own problems before concerning herself with mine?"

Everyone looked at Zoro, blinking dumbly, mouths agape.

"Did he just?"

"Yeah" Chooper breathed and for the first time in these two morbid weeks the little boys starter laughing. Not giggling or snickering but wholeheartedly _laughing_. Nami joined in and so did Luffy, soon Usopp too. The Quattro just sat there fucking laughing. Nami could feel a smile of relief crawling across her face as she examined Zoro, who was no doubt confused.

"Zoro, don't you get it. This is the first time since whatever happened between you and Sanji in the first place that _you_ admitted that there is a problem. Something wrong" Chopped explained grasping Zoro's bulky hands in his own smaller ones, too excited. Nami could see the gears in Zoro's head turning.

"I don't have any problems" Zoro whispered yanking his hands out of Chopper's hold.

"Really? I mean you and Sanji and the fact that you guys- come on really?!" Usopp whined.

"Zoro, it's your fault" came Luffy's voice deepening in seriousness. Zoro looked up to meet his captain square in the eyes. Challenge and determination was coursing in the air between them.

"Fix it" was all Nami heard before Zoreo briskly stood to take his leave.

"Don't be so fast to assume" this time his stare was directed at Nami. "I didn't fuck n' chuck"

That left everyone speechless. They knew nothing. And it was about time they stopped pretending that they did.

**AN: Why did I write this? Pointless? I know. Sorry **

"_I nonetheless read the final section in rapt attention, forgetful of my qualms and by the final line, I found that I was in tears."_

**Isn't mine it's from the **_**Tearjerker, **_**NewYorker, October 2010 **

**Again nasty punctuation. Thought I'd write something and ugh who knew it could be this frustrating. Prompts would be cool. Thanks for reading and please review. **


End file.
